Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access nodes along with various control and routing nodes that provide wireless access to communication services for wireless communication devices over wireless links. A typical wireless communication system includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless devices, service providers, and other end user devices. The user communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some examples, an online charging server or OCS may monitor the data connections for the wireless devices. The OCS is a system that allows communication service providers to charge their customers, in real time, based on service usage. To accomplish this task, the wireless communication must be consistently monitored to ensure that the user is permitted to use the requested amount of data. If the user is out of data, then the OCS can be used to terminate the communication and prevent the device from joining the network.
In at least one instance of an OCS, the OCS is connected to the packet data network gateway (PGW) used in providing service to the wireless communication device. This PGW may periodically query the OCS using a Gy interface to determine whether the device is allowed to connect to the network. In some examples, the OCS will provide the PGW with a quota indicating an amount of data the user has available. Once the user consumes this quota, the PGW may continue to inquire the OCS for further quota information until the communication is complete or the user has exhausted the total available communication data.
Overview
Examples disclosed herein provide systems and methods for implementing a default data quota for a wireless device. In one example, a method for operating a packet data network gateway includes transferring a quota request for delivery to an online charging server in response to a communication requirement for a wireless device, and receiving default quota information and actual quota information from the online charging server regarding the wireless device. The method further includes identifying a communication interruption between the packet data network gateway and the online charging server and, in response to the communication interruption, implementing the default quota information for the wireless device.
In another instance, a system for implementing default quotas for wireless devices includes a packet data network gateway configured to transfer a quota request for delivery to the online charging server in response to a communication requirement for a wireless device, and receive default quota information and actual quota information from the online charging server regarding the wireless device. The packet data network gateway is further configured to identify a communication interruption between the packet data network gateway and the online charging server, and implement the default quota information for the wireless device responsive to the communication interruption.
The system further includes the online charging server configured to receive the quota request and identify the default quota information and the actual quota information. Once the quota information is identified, the online charging server is configured to transfer the default quota information and the actual quota information for delivery to the packet data network gateway.
In another example, a computer apparatus to facilitate default quota implementation includes processing instructions that direct a packet data network gateway computing system to transfer a quota request for delivery to an online charging server in response to a communication requirement for a wireless device. The processing instructions also direct the computing system to receive default quota information and actual quota information from the online charging server regarding the wireless device, and identify a communication interruption between the packet data network gateway and the online charging server. The processing instructions further direct the computing system to implement the default quota information responsive to the communication interruption. The computer apparatus further includes one or more non-transitory computer readable media that store the processing instructions.